Zen in Ten: The Buddha of Infinite Life and Light
Om, Save Us in the Glory of the Deathless One, hûm!
“The name Amida is from the Sanskrit word Amitâbha meaning infinite life, and because Amida's compassion is infinite and without boundaries, he is also called the Buddha of Infinite Life.”1
“Before attaining Buddhahood, Amida was known as Hōzō Bodhisattva (Skt. Dharmakāra). Hōzō made 48 Vows which serve as the basis for the modern vows taken by lay followers, monks, and nuns in Tibet, China, and Japan. In the 48 Vows, Hōzō pledged that, upon attaining Buddhahood, he would create the Western Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. Hōzō guaranteed rebirth there to anyone who repeatedly chanted his ‘Nembutsu’ 念仏 (prayer) with utmost sincerity, even those on their death bed who had been great sinners in their life. The nembutsu is ‘Namu Amida Butsu,’ which is variously translated as ‘All Hail Amida Buddha’ or ‘Oh Compassionate Amida Buddha.’ Hōzō fulfilled the vows and thereafter became Amida Nyorai.”2
“Amida is generally venerated most in the Jodo Shinshu, or Pure Land sect of Buddhism. This buddha looks very much like depictions of Shakyamuni Buddhan and is often confused with Shakyamuni in the West.”3
“One major tell that you are looking at Amida and not Shakyamuni is the mudra. When seated Amida has hands in the jo-in, or mudra similar to Shakyamuni, but the index fingers and thumbs on each hand make a circle. When standing, Amida will usually have hands in segan semui-in mudra, as depicted [in the above illustration].” 4
When depicted in a seated position, Amida is “in lotus position on a jewel lotus. He wears a red robe with both shoulders covered. He is sitting with both of his hands held in his lap. The tips of his thumbs are touching, and the ends of his first fingers are turned up, forming two circles. His right hand is resting on his left hand, and this mudrâ is called the Samâdhi mudrâ.”5
“The practice of chanting the Nembutsu, ‘Namu Amida Butsu,’ is practiced in the Jodo Shinshu and Jodo Shu schools of Buddhism. By chanting the Nembutsu, the chanter can attain rebirth in Amida Buddha’s Western Pure Land, where conditions are easier for enlightenment. This is considered ‘relying on the other power,’ or power of Amida Budhha’s vow to save all beings in all walks of life.”6
“By this doctrine [stated above in #6], it is explained in the widely read Amida Sutra that ‘the Buddha's radiance is infinite and illumines all of the countries in the ten directions totally without obstruction. That is why he is called the Buddha of Infinite Light. The life span of the Buddha is infinite, without limit, and never ends; and therefore he is called the Buddha of Infinite Life.’ ”7
“Amida Sutra is one of the three basic scriptures of the Pure Land school, the others being the ‘Buddha Infinite Life Sutra’ and the ‘Meditation on the Buddha Infinite Life Sutra.’ The Amida Sutra is a translation of what is known as the smaller Sukhāvatīvyūha, rendered into Chinese by Kumārajīva in 402. Two other Chinese translations were made by Gunabhadra in 455 and by Hsüan-tsang in 650, but Gunabhadra’s version is not extant. Kumārajīva’s version, titled ‘Amida Sutra,’ consists of one volume. Written in the form of a discourse delivered by Shakyamuni to Shāriputra and others at Jetavana Monastery, it describes the blessings associated with Amida Buddha and his Pure Land of Perfect Bliss in the west, and asserts that one can attain rebirth in this land by relying solely on Amida. Subsequently the Buddhas in the six directions are described as bearing witness to the truth of this teaching of Shakyamuni.”8
“Amida Nyorai presides over the Pure Land of the Western Paradise, holds to many vows specified in the Forty-eight Vows of Amida, and is particularly known for ‘Amida's coming and greeting’ by which he will come with a host of attending bodhisattvas to greet a person who is about to die and lead that person to the Pure Land. This is also referred to as the power of the Original Vow made for the sake of saving people. Amida's name is recited as words of thanksgiving for the power of the Original Vow.”9
“Often in Zen it is believed that Amida Buddha’s Pure Land is no other place than this very world we live in right here and now.”10
http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/amida.html
Schumacher, Mark. https://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/amida.shtml
Amato, Seigaku. The Completed Illustrated Guide to Zen. Wisdom Publications, Somerville, MA, 2021.
Ibid.
http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/amida.html
Amato, Seigaku.
http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/amida.html
https://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/dic/Content/A/48
http://www.shingon.org/deities/jusanbutsu/amida.html
Amato, Seigaku.